A26883:4326
Richard Baxter's Catholic theology plain, pure, peaceable, for pacification of the dogmatical word-warriors who, 1. by contending about things unrevealed or not understood, 2. and by taking verbal differences for real,Richard Baxter's Catholick theologie plain, pure, peaceable, for pacification of the dogmatical word-warriours who, 1. by contending about things unrevealed or not understood, 2. and by taking verbal differences for real,
London: printed by Robert White for Nevill Simmons, 1675
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Lib. Have you not lately and oft been told, that holiness and obedience are necessary now; but it is to other Ends than to justify us; (as for Cratitude, &c.)
Lib. Have you not lately and oft been told, that holiness and obedience are necessary now; but it is to other Ends than to justifie us; (as for Cratitude, &c.)
P. 1. We easily grant it is for other Ends than Christs Merits were, and not to justify us as they do; nor in that Causality. They are not to purchase for us a free gift of pardon and life, nor the Holy Ghost, &c. as Christ did. 2. But again tell me, Hath not Christ a Law that commandeth our obedience to those ends (as Gratitude) which you mention? And is not the keeping that Law a thing that the same Law will so far justify us for? Yea, a Condition that life dependeth on? And if the Cause in Judgement be, Have you kept it or not? must you not in that be accordingly Justified or Condemned? Give over cavilling against plain necessary truth.
P. 1. We easily grant it is for other Ends than Christs Merits were, and not to justifie us as they do; nor in that Causality. They are not to purchase for us a free gift of pardon and life, nor the Holy Ghost, &c. as Christ did. 2. But again tell me, Hath not Christ a Law that commandeth our obedience to those ends (as Gratitude) which you mention? And is not the keeping that Law a thing that the same Law will so far justifie us for? Yea, a Condition that life dependeth on? And if the Cause in Judgement be, Have you kept it or not? must you not in that be accordingly Justified or Condemned? Give over cavilling against plain necessary truth.
Lib. By this you will fall in with the Papists, who take Justification to be partly by Christs Righteousness, and partly by our own: and partly in pardon, and partly in faith and holiness.
P. Tell not me of the Names of Papists or any, to frighten me from plain Scripture truth. 1. Why may not I rather say, Why go you from all the ancient Writers and Churches, even Augustine himself, by your new and contrary opinion? Was true Justification unknown for so many hundred years after the Apostles? 2. The most zealous Antipapists do confess that some Texts of Scripture do so take the word Justification: And multitudes of Texts so take the words Righteous and Righteousness. And he that will impartially consider them may find, that more Texts than are by us so confessed, do by Justifying mean [Making us Just, and so Accounting us] on all these causes conjunct, 1. As being Redeemed by Christs Merits, 2. And freely pardoned, 3. And having Right to life, 4. And renewed to Gods love and Image, 5. And so justifiable at the Bar of Grace by the Law of faith and liberty. 3. And the reality of all the Matter of this Doctrine is past doubt, if the Controversie de nomine Justificationis were not so decided.
P. Tell not me of the Names of Papists or any, to frighten me from plain Scripture truth. 1. Why may not I rather say, Why go you from all the antient Writers and Churches, even Augustine himself, by your new and contrary opinion? Was true Justification unknown for so many hundred years after the Apostles? 2. The most zealous Antipapists do confess that some Texts of Scripture do so take the word Justification: And multitudes of Texts so take the words Righteous and Righteousness. And he that will impartially consider them may find, that more Texts than are by us so confessed, do by Justifying mean [Making us Just, and so Accounting us] on all these causes conjunct, 1. As being Redeemed by Christs Merits, 2. And freely pardoned, 3. And having Right to life, 4. And renewed to Gods love and Image, 5. And so justifyable at the Bar of Grace by the Law of faith and liberty. 3. And the reality of all the Matter of this Doctrine is past doubt, if the Controversie de nomine Justificationis were not so decided.
Lib. III. You bring in your doctrine of personal Righteousness to Justification, by feigning Christ to have made a new Law; whereas the Gospel is but a Doctrine, History and Promise, and not a Law, and so no Rule of Righteousness and Judgement; And this many Protestants have asserted.
Lib. III. YOu bring in your doctrine of personal Righteousness to Justification, by feigning Christ to have made a new Law; whereas the Gospel is but a Doctrine, History and Promise, and not a Law, and so no Rule of Righteousness and Judgement; And this many Protestants have asserted.
P. I have read some such sayings in some men: And some I think meant no more, but that Christ did only expound, and not add to the Law of Nature, called by them the Moral Law: And these I have excused for their unhappy kind of expression. But for the rest, that mean as the words sound universally, they subvert Christianity, and as the Arians denied Christs Godhead, so do they his Office and Government, and are somewhat worse than the Quakers, who say, that the Spirit within us, is the Law and Rule of Christ; which is better than none: I pray answer me, Quest. 1. Is Christ the King and Ruler of the Church?
P. I have read some such sayings in some men: And some I think meant no more, but that Christ did only expound, and not add to the Law of Nature, called by them the Moral Law: And these I have excused for their unhappy kind of expression. But for the rest, that mean as the words sound universally, they subvert Christianity, and as the Arrians denyed Christs Godhead, so do they his Office and Government, and are somewhat worse than the Quakers, who say, that the Spirit within us, is the Law and Rule of Christ; which is better than none: I pray answer me, Quest. 1. Is Christ the King and Ruler of the Church?
Lib. Yes.
P. Quest. 2. Is not Legislation the first and principal part of Government?
Lib. Yes.
P. Quest. 3. Do not they then that deny Christs Legislation, deny his Government?
Lib. Yes.
P. Quest. 4. Is it not essential to Christ as Christ (the name signifying Relatively his Office) to be King?
Lib. Yes.
P. Quest. 5. Do they not then by this deny Christ to be Christ?
Lib. No: for they confess that he hath a Law, but not that he made any since his birth.
